Engine pull and timing service time frame

[kevinye77137]

Let's say I have a whole week off and I have all the tools required. How long would it take for me to finish everything including a new clutch? This is my first engine pull btw. Reason why I'm asking is I rent my house from my uncle and he doesn't like it when I make a mess in his garage and he comes down to visit maybe once every month.

[badger.]

It took me 10ish days I think to go from pulling the garage to out of the garage. That was roughly 8-10 hour days I think? I had a guy help for a few hours at the beginning and end, on the actual pull and angling the motor back in, and my dad helped with an extra set of hands from engine+trans separation until they were re-united. I basically took one week off work and worked Friday night after work, through the next week, and still needed to take off that last Monday. However my family was visiting so there was one day we went to the city and didn't do much of any work.

I hit some delays:
- forgot a small o-ring on one tensioner, realized after I had the timing covers back on and trans bolted back on... killed a good day with that
- broke the rear coolant hose, had to overnight one to finish putting motor back in
- rear O2 sensors relocated, waited a day for those to get done

I also did:
- Valve cover gaskets
- Mounts
- Built a custom engine+trans stand (took a solid half day)
- Valley pan service, so I had to get the IM, oil filter, etc off. Spent a day doing all that with all the cleaning it needed
- Added trans cooler
- piggied the downpipes
- motor mounts
- so. much. cleaning.


It was also my first engine pull. I don't have many fancy tools or a big garage. If everything is smooth, you actually have all the parts/fluids, don't break any bolts, etc and you don't take off the IM or do too much extra, I bet it could be done in 4-5 long days for a first timer. Really depends how much stuff you are doing because the motor is out and you have easy access, how much cleaning you want/need to do, etc.

If I had to do it again I would feel pretty confident getting it done in a week.

edit: I've got a tip trans, so IDK how long the clutch would add. I think it's a little easier to pull the motor+trans with a tip, less subframe and you don't need to take apart anything inside the car, but I doubt that makes up for the amount of time you'd spend replacing the clutch. But I dunno

[kevinye77137]

It took me 10ish days I think to go from pulling the garage to out of the garage. That was roughly 8-10 hour days I think? I had a guy help for a few hours at the beginning and end, on the actual pull and angling the motor back in, and my dad helped with an extra set of hands from engine+trans separation until they were re-united. I basically took one week off work and worked Friday night after work, through the next week, and still needed to take off that last Monday. However my family was visiting so there was one day we went to the city and didn't do much of any work.

I hit some delays:
- forgot a small o-ring on one tensioner, realized after I had the timing covers back on and trans bolted back on... killed a good day with that
- broke the rear coolant hose, had to overnight one to finish putting motor back in
- rear O2 sensors relocated, waited a day for those to get done

I also did:
- Valve cover gaskets
- Mounts
- Built a custom engine+trans stand (took a solid half day)
- Valley pan service, so I had to get the IM, oil filter, etc off. Spent a day doing all that with all the cleaning it needed
- Added trans cooler
- piggied the downpipes
- motor mounts
- so. much. cleaning.


It was also my first engine pull. I don't have many fancy tools or a big garage. If everything is smooth, you actually have all the parts/fluids, don't break any bolts, etc and you don't take off the IM or do too much extra, I bet it could be done in 4-5 long days for a first timer. Really depends how much stuff you are doing because the motor is out and you have easy access, how much cleaning you want/need to do, etc.

If I had to do it again I would feel pretty confident getting it done in a week.

edit: I've got a tip trans, so IDK how long the clutch would add. I think it's a little easier to pull the motor+trans with a tip, less subframe and you don't need to take apart anything inside the car, but I doubt that makes up for the amount of time you'd spend replacing the clutch. But I dunno

Thanks for the reply. Since I have done piggies, oil check valve and other maintenance, the clutch and timing would be the only concern. I should able to finish it within a week if nothing breaks but im pretty sure i will run into some trouble. How did you label or remember which hose and wires goes to where?

[icanfly]

I'll mirror Badger. I did mine entirely solo, it was my first time pulling this motor and I broke an electronic tensioner unit putting it back together - I would say that if you pace yourself, give yourself breaks and go at a SLOW and steady pace, you should be able to start on a friday night, do the work over the week, finish up the following Sunday with your first start. There are a few absolutely critical moments that you don't rush. Don't get frustrated, take brakes, stay hydrated (beers only at the end of the day) and keep your bolt management ON LOCK (I can share my tricks if you need)!

other than that, I did my work with an HF hoist, jack stands and some shit tires I had laying around to set the motor/trans on while I worked on it. I pulled solo, and reinstalled with a friend to help get the trans back under the car. I did everything you're doing plus a ton more so you should be able to do it. Read and Re-Read the motor pull DIY / Make sure you have all the tools (including timing tools). Make sure you have all clutch parts, including the slave Cyl before you get started. Be prepared to Overnight at least one or two parts.

let me know if you want to jump on the phone and talk through the tricky parts. More than happy to support another member. I've also got timing tools if you want to rent.

you can do it.

[xalents23]

Painters tape is your friend for labeling wires and hoses. 1 goes with 1 and so on.

[kevinye77137]

I'll mirror Badger. I did mine entirely solo, it was my first time pulling this motor and I broke an electronic tensioner unit putting it back together - I would say that if you pace yourself, give yourself breaks and go at a SLOW and steady pace, you should be able to start on a friday night, do the work over the week, finish up the following Sunday with your first start. There are a few absolutely critical moments that you don't rush. Don't get frustrated, take brakes, stay hydrated (beers only at the end of the day) and keep your bolt management ON LOCK (I can share my tricks if you need)!

other than that, I did my work with an HF hoist, jack stands and some shit tires I had laying around to set the motor/trans on while I worked on it. I pulled solo, and reinstalled with a friend to help get the trans back under the car. I did everything you're doing plus a ton more so you should be able to do it. Read and Re-Read the motor pull DIY / Make sure you have all the tools (including timing tools). Make sure you have all clutch parts, including the slave Cyl before you get started. Be prepared to Overnight at least one or two parts.

let me know if you want to jump on the phone and talk through the tricky parts. More than happy to support another member. I've also got timing tools if you want to rent.

you can do it.

Thanks man really appreciate your offer! I will call you when I'm in the middle of a sticky situation. Your post gave me a confident boost that I can tackle this alone

[kevinye77137]

Feel free to comment on this thread about your experience of the timing service alot of advices from other people will prepare me or anyone who is about to pull the plug

[badger.]

- I used masking tape for electrical connections, tab of tape on each end, label it with same letter both ends, I just start labeling at "A" and go from there.
- I also took a lot of pictures with my finger point various connections and routing paths for wires/cables as I went, I reference those quite a bit on the reassembly. That was helpful for the wiring harness and all those little plastic clips that snap into various brackets and whatnot.

- I used those cheap clear plastic storage things from walmart or wherever to store the nuts/bolts/whatever. Look like this:


- I used a dry erase marker on the lid, drew a grid corresponding to the spaces, and labeled it that way. Kinda looked like this but with a dry erase marker:


- I've linked this thread a bunch but it has a lot of good info on it, I started it when I started my timing work and tried to update it as I went..
Clicky!!

- For stuff like main trans bolts to engine block and the gazillion bolts on the timing covers, I used a sharpie right on the block and numbered them in the torquing sequence (and wrote the corresponding # on the bolt head) for easy re-assembly.

As icanyfly offered as well, feel free to PM or email me or whatever if you need anything, I've got a shitload of pictures and stuff I never posted in my thread.

Aside from all the tools/equipment needed, I would recommend having:
- a friend over for: helping guide the motor+trans out, helping separate them once they are out, and also for shoehorning it all back in (that was the hardest part lol).
- Just a couple hours here and there with that extra set of hands will go a long way unless you've got a nice shop set up and lift and all that snazzy stuff ;)
- Bentley manual. If you got one recently there is a web access code, I just brought my old laptop to the garage and sat it on the workbench. great for sequence of events and torque specs
- the cuccaroocococ or whatever his name it engine pull guide. I printed it right off at work and went through page by page. It is very accurate and thorough. lots of copies/links to it floating around here

[SprintBlueWorld]

Excellent practical resources. Kudos.

[2004B6S4]

Also, on removal I had an issue with the shifter not having enough clearance and rubbing against the heat shielding. There's a couple ways you can avoid that - One way is to remove the bolts holding the downpipes to the transmission before you start to pull the engine out (Joey doesn't mention this in his guide, maybe cuz he has headers, but you're gonna need to remove those bolts anyways once it's out). I hadn't done this and the downpipes contacted the subframe as the whole thing was coming out, which prevented the trans from dropping down far enough to get the shifter out. Removing those bolts will give your downpipes more room to flex and allow the trans to drop down some more. Another thing you can do is to remove one of the linkage rods holding the shifter to the transmission, that way you can swing the shifter farther out of the way and get more clearance above the transmission. If I was to do this job again, I might try and just leave the shifter connected to the car, and remove the linkages from the trans before pulling the engine out. That's what Jimmybones does before removing the trans in his clutch writeup on another site.

[gcoy]

Also, on removal I had an issue with the shifter not having enough clearance and rubbing against the heat shielding. There's a couple ways you can avoid that - One way is to remove the bolts holding the downpipes to the transmission before you start to pull the engine out (Joey doesn't mention this in his guide, maybe cuz he has headers, but you're gonna need to remove those bolts anyways once it's out). I hadn't done this and the downpipes contacted the subframe as the whole thing was coming out, which prevented the trans from dropping down far enough to get the shifter out. Removing those bolts will give your downpipes more room to flex and allow the trans to drop down some more. Another thing you can do is to remove one of the linkage rods holding the shifter to the transmission, that way you can swing the shifter farther out of the way and get more clearance above the transmission. If I was to do this job again, I might try and just leave the shifter connected to the car, and remove the linkages from the trans before pulling the engine out. That's what Jimmybones does before removing the trans in his clutch writeup on another site.

Great advice, I had the same prob